History of Alexander Zverev in Timeline

Alexander Zverev, a German professional tennis player currently ranked world No. 4, has won 22 ATP Tour singles titles and one doubles title. He has been a Grand Slam runner-up. His career highlights include a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and victories at the 2018 and 2021 ATP Finals, demonstrating his prominence in the world of tennis.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1986: Teenager Victories Against Top Ten Opponents

In 2016, Zverev became the first teenager to record three consecutive victories against top ten opponents since Boris Becker in 1986.

1990: Irina Zvereva in Germany

In 1990, Irina Zvereva went to Germany to compete at a tournament, with her husband accompanying as her coach.

1995: Boris Becker wins season-ending championships

In 1995, Boris Becker was the last German to win the season-ending championships before Zverev's victory.

April 1997: Alexander Zverev Born

In April 1997, Alexander "Sascha" Zverev was born. He is a German professional tennis player.

Others born on this day/year

2000: Tommy Haas wins silver medal at Sydney Olympics

In 2000, Tommy Haas won a silver medal at the Sydney Olympics. Zverev became the first German man to win a gold medal in singles and the first to win a medal since Tommy Haas won his silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

2004: First Top 20 Victory

In 2014, During the International German Open, Zverev recorded his first top 20 victory against Mikhail Youzhny, becoming the first 17-year old to defeat a top 20 opponent since Richard Gasquet in 2004.

2005: Youngest Boys Champion Since Donald Young

In 2013, Zverev was named the ITF Junior World Champion, becoming the youngest boys' champion since Donald Young in 2005.

2006: Semifinal Appearance

In 2014, During the International German Open, Zverev made a semifinal appearance, becoming the first 17-year old to make a semifinal since Marin Čilić in 2006.

2006: Youngest Player to Debut in Top 20

In 2016, Zverev's third round appearance at the Shanghai Masters then helped him rise to No. 20 in the ATP rankings, making him the youngest player to debut in the top 20 since Novak Djokovic in 2006.

2007: David Nalbandian wins multiple Masters titles

In 2007, David Nalbandian was the first player outside of the Big Four to win multiple Masters titles in the same season.

2007: Youngest Masters Champion Since Djokovic

In May 2017, Alexander Zverev won his first Masters title at the Rome Masters. He defeated Novak Djokovic in the final to become the youngest Masters champion since Djokovic in 2007.

2009: Youngest Challenger Title Winner

In 2014, At 17 years and 2 months old, Alexander Zverev became the youngest player to win a Challenger title since Bernard Tomic in 2009.

January 2011: First Junior Match

In January 2011, at the age of 13, Zverev played his first junior match at a grade 4 tournament in Poland and also entered his first event on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) junior circuit.

2011: Moselle Open Qualifying

In 2011, at the age of 14, Zverev entered qualifying at three different tournaments, including the Moselle Open on the ATP Tour, but lost all of his matches.

August 2012: Professional Main Draw Debut

In August 2012, Zverev won his professional main draw debut against Christian Lichtenegger at a Futures event in Germany and made his first professional final, finishing runner-up to Florian Reynet at an ITF $10K event in Florida.

2012: First ITF Title

In early 2012, Zverev won his first ITF title at the Fujairah Junior Championships, a low-level Grade 4 tournament in the United Arab Emirates, and a few weeks later, he secured a lower-level Grade 5 title at the Oman International Junior 2.

2013: French Open Final

In 2013, Alexander Zverev reached the final of the French Open.

2013: Jez Green began working with Zverev

In 2013, Jez Green started working with Zverev.

2013: ATP Tour Debut

In 2013, Zverev made his main draw debut on the ATP Tour at the International German Open, losing to Roberto Bautista Agut, and also debuted on the ATP Challenger Tour, losing to Máximo González at the Meerbusch Challenger.

2013: Junior Success and Injury

In 2013, Zverev won his first Grade 1 title at the Open International Junior de Beaulieu-sur-Mer, and his first Grade A title at the Trofeo Bonfiglio, also finishing as runner-up at the French Open and Junior International Roehampton, but had to retire at Wimbledon due to a shoulder injury. He was also named the ITF Junior World Champion.

2014: Australian Open Win

In 2014, Alexander Zverev won the Australian Open.

2014: Stan Wawrinka wins Australian Open

In 2014, Stan Wawrinka won the Australian Open. At the 2020 Australian Open, Zverev defeated 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka in the quarterfinals.

2014: Focus on Professional Career

In 2014, after winning the boys' singles title at the Australian Open, Zverev focused on his professional career, struggling initially before winning the Braunschweig Challenger for his first professional title in July.

2016: Hopman Cup with Sabine Lisicki

In 2016, Alexander Zverev competed at the Hopman Cup with Sabine Lisicki, winning their tie against France but not advancing to the final.

2016: Davis Cup Debut

In 2016, Alexander Zverev made his Davis Cup debut for Germany against the Czech Republic, losing to Tomáš Berdych in five sets. The Czech Republic won the tie.

2016: Most Double Faults on Tour in 2016

In 2016, Zverev hit the most double faults on tour.

2016: 2016 Season Performances

In 2016, Zverev participated in the Australian Open, reaching the semifinals at the Open Sud de France and producing a strong result at the Indian Wells Masters, where he nearly upset Rafael Nadal. He also reached his first ATP singles final at the Open de Nice Côte d'Azur.

2016: First ATP Title and Top 20 Debut

In 2016, Zverev won his first ATP title at the St. Petersburg Open, defeating Stan Wawrinka in the final and then defeated Dominic Thiem at the China Open. His third round appearance at the Shanghai Masters then helped him rise to No. 20 in the ATP rankings, making him the youngest player to debut in the top 20 since Novak Djokovic in 2006.

2017: First Davis Cup Match Win

In 2017, Alexander Zverev recorded his first career match win in the Davis Cup against Arthur De Greef, but Germany lost the tie against Belgium.

2017: Laver Cup Debut

In 2017, Alexander Zverev took part in the inaugural Laver Cup in Prague, winning both of his singles matches for Team Europe, contributing four points to their 15-9 victory over Team World.

2017: First Masters 1000 Title at the Italian Open

In 2017, Alexander Zverev won his first Masters 1000 title at the Italian Open.

2017: Improved Results and Name Preference

In 2017, Zverev greatly improved his results at higher-level tournaments and stated he preferred to be called Alexander rather than Sascha in his professional career. He also won both the singles and doubles events at the Open Sud de France and made his first Masters quarterfinal at the Miami Open.

2017: Roger Federer as tennis idol

In 2017, Zverev stated that his tennis idol is Roger Federer.

2017: Hiring Juan Carlos Ferrero

In the summer of 2017, Zverev hired former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero at the Washington Open.

August 2018: Ivan Lendl Joins Zverev's Team

In August 2018, Ivan Lendl joined Zverev's coaching team.

2018: Improved Serve and Return Ratings

By 2018, Zverev had improved his serve and return ratings, ranking 19th and 8th, respectively. He landed 64.2% of first serves and won 32.4% of first serve return points.

2018: Hopman Cup Final Appearance

In 2018, Alexander Zverev and Angelique Kerber reached the Hopman Cup final, losing to Switzerland after Zverev lost his singles match to Federer, and they lost the decisive mixed doubles rubber.

2018: First Davis Cup Tie Win

In 2018, Alexander Zverev won his first Davis Cup tie, winning both of his singles matches against Alex de Minaur and Kyrgios, leading Germany to a 3-1 victory over Australia. However, Germany lost in the quarterfinals against Spain.

2018: 2018 ATP Finals Title

In 2018, Alexander Zverev won the ATP Finals title.

2018: Laver Cup Clinching Match Win

In 2018, Alexander Zverev won the clinching match against Kevin Anderson at the Laver Cup.

July 2019: Split with Ivan Lendl

In July 2019, Zverev and Ivan Lendl split up due to disappointing results and personal differences.

October 2019: Alleged violence escalation in October 2019

In August 2021, a second article by Rothenberg about the allegations was released in Slate magazine. The second article picked up Sharypova's story where the first left off. It includes this description of the alleged violence escalating in October 2019.

2019: Second Hopman Cup Final Appearance

In 2019, Alexander Zverev and Angelique Kerber reached the Hopman Cup final for the second consecutive year, again facing Federer and Bencic of Switzerland. They ultimately lost the final in the mixed doubles match.

2019: Hopman Cup with Angelique Kerber

In 2019, Alexander Zverev and Angelique Kerber reached the final of the Hopman Cup, setting up a rematch of the previous year's final with Federer and Bencic. They lost the decisive mixed doubles rubber to Switzerland.

2019: Davis Cup Qualifying Round

In 2019, Alexander Zverev participated in the Davis Cup qualifying round, winning both of his singles matches as Germany won the tie against Hungary 5-0. He did not participate in the finals.

2019: Zverev's 2019 Season

In 2019, Alexander Zverev started the season with a fourth-round appearance at the Australian Open, finished as runner-up at the Mexican Open to Nick Kyrgios, won his only title of the year at the Geneva Open against Nicolás Jarry, and reached the quarterfinal at the French Open where he lost to Novak Djokovic.

2019: Laver Cup Clinching Match Win

In 2019, Alexander Zverev won the clinching match against Milos Raonic at the Laver Cup.

2019: Stefanos Tsitsipas 2019 Roland Garros Finalist

In 2019, Stefanos Tsitsipas was a Roland Garros finalist. At the 2022 Madrid Open, Zverev took revenge on Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach his third final at this Masters 1000 event.

2019: First mixed doubles with Angelique Kerber since 2019

In 2024, Zverev played mixed doubles matches with Angelique Kerber for the first time since 2019.

2019: Alleged abuse during Laver Cup 2019

In October 2020, Olga Sharypova named multiple instances where Zverev allegedly became violent towards her, including punching her in the face during an argument that took place in the pair's hotel room while Zverev was competing at the 2019 Laver Cup.

May 2020: Alleged abuse against Brenda Patea in May 2020

On 1 November 2023, Brenda Patea spoke publicly for the first time about the alleged abuse in an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung, stating that Zverev pushed her into a wall and choked her during a dispute in May 2020.

June 2020: Self-isolation after possible COVID-19 exposure and attending a party in Monaco

In June 2020, following Novak Djokovic's Adria Tour, Zverev announced self-isolation after possible COVID-19 exposure. However, he was later seen at a party in Monaco, leading to criticism.

October 2020: Olga Sharypova's accusations of abuse

In October 2020, Zverev's ex-girlfriend Olga Sharypova accused him of physical and emotional abuse during their relationship.

2020: US Open Final Loss

In 2020, Alexander Zverev experienced his first loss from being up two sets to love in a 5-set match against Dominic Thiem in the final of the US Open.

2020: First Major Final Since the 2020 US Open

In 2020, Alexander Zverev reached his first Major final at the US Open, since then he reached the final at the 2024 French Open.

2020: ATP Cup Participation

In 2020, Alexander Zverev represented Germany at the ATP Cup, losing all three of his matches in the group stage against Alex de Minaur, Denis Shapovalov, and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Germany did not advance to the next phase.

2020: Tokyo Olympics Gold Medal

In 2020, Alexander Zverev won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

2020: Most Double Faults on Tour in 2020

In 2020, Zverev hit the most double faults on tour.

2020: Zverev at the ATP Cup and Australian Open

In 2020, Zverev played at the ATP Cup, representing Germany, where he lost matches against Alex de Minaur, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Denis Shapovalov. At the Australian Open in 2020, he pledged to donate all his prize money to bushfire relief if he won the title and reached his first major singles semifinal, eventually losing to Dominic Thiem.

2020: Working with David Ferrer

In 2020, Zverev started to work with David Ferrer.

2020: Zverev's Performance in Late 2020

In 2020, Zverev won two consecutive ATP 250 events in Cologne, defeating Félix Auger-Aliassime and Diego Schwartzman. He reached the final of the Paris Masters, losing to Daniil Medvedev, and was eliminated in the group stage of the ATP Finals.

January 2021: Split with David Ferrer

In January 2021, Zverev and David Ferrer announced their split.

July 2021: Zverev's Grass Court Season and Wimbledon Performance

In July 2021, Zverev lost in the second round at Halle to Ugo Humbert. At Wimbledon, he reached the fourth round for a second time, but was defeated by Félix Auger-Aliassime in five sets. Following this run he returned to the top 5 after 2 years on 12 July 2021.

August 2021: Injunction against Slate and Mary Carillo stepping down

In August 2021, Zverev secured an injunction against Slate, and commentator Mary Carillo stepped down from her presenting role at the 2021 Laver Cup in response to the ATP's handling of the allegations.

August 2021: Release of second article about allegations in Slate magazine

In August 2021, a second article by Ben Rothenberg was released in Slate magazine, detailing further allegations of abuse by Olga Sharypova.

November 2021: Zverev at the 2021 Rolex Paris Masters

In November 2021, Zverev reached the semifinals of the Rolex Paris Masters, losing to Daniil Medvedev. As a result, he equaled his singles career-high ranking of World No. 3 on November 8, 2021.

2021: Zverev's Clay Court Season in 2021

In 2021 on clay, Zverev finished in the third round in Monte Carlo, losing to David Goffin and reached the quarterfinals in Munich, losing to Ilya Ivashka.

2021: Laver Cup Win Against John Isner

In 2021, Alexander Zverev defeated John Isner in three sets at the Laver Cup in Boston, contributing to Team Europe's 14-1 win.

2021: Last Masters Title Before 2024 Italian Open

In 2021, Alexander Zverev last won a Masters title before his 2024 Italian Open win.

2021: ATP Cup Participation

In 2021, Alexander Zverev represented Germany at the ATP Cup. Germany did not advance to the next phase of the tournament, finishing third in the group.

2021: 2021 ATP Finals Title

In 2021, Alexander Zverev secured another title at the ATP Finals.

2021: Jez Green departed Zverev's team

In 2021, Jez Green departed Zverev's team after working with him for around seven years.

2021: Career-Best Results

In 2021, Zverev achieved his career-best results.

2021: Zverev wins 2021 ATP Finals

In 2021, Zverev qualified for the ATP Finals in Turin for a fifth successive season. He defeated Djokovic and Medvedev in the semifinals and finals to win the title, becoming the only active player other than Djokovic and Federer to have won multiple ATP Finals titles.

2021: Zverev Wins 2021 Western & Southern Open

In 2021, Zverev reached his second Masters 1000 final of the year at the Western & Southern Open, defeating Andrey Rublev in the final for his 17th career title and fourth of the season.

2021: Zverev's 2021 BNP Paribas Open Performance

In 2021, Zverev reached the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open, losing to Taylor Fritz despite having two match points.

2021: Playing for Germany in the ATP Cup

In 2021, Zverev represented Germany in the ATP Cup, playing against Canada and Serbia. He won his match against Denis Shapovalov but lost to Novak Djokovic in singles. He won the doubles match against Djokovic and Nikola Ćaćić with Jan-Lennard Struff, helping Germany advance to the semifinals where they lost to Russia.

2021: Birth of daughter Mayla

In 2021, Zverev's daughter, Mayla, was born with Brenda Patea.

2021: Winning his first team event since the Laver Cup in 2021

In 2024, Zverev won his first team event since the Laver Cup in 2021.

2021: Zverev's Early 2021 Season

In early 2021, Zverev represented Germany at the ATP Cup, reaching the semi-finals. At the Australian Open in 2021, he lost in the quarterfinals to Novak Djokovic. He won his 14th ATP title in Acapulco, defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.

2021: Dating Sophia Thomalla

Since 2021, Zverev has been dating German actress Sophia Thomalla.

June 2022: Zverev's Injury and Career High Ranking

In June 2022, Zverev retired from his semifinal match against Rafael Nadal at the French Open due to a severe ankle injury, which required surgery and caused him to miss Wimbledon. Despite his exit, he reached a career-high ranking of world No. 2 on June 13, 2022.

August 2022: Zverev Announces Diabetes Diagnosis and Launches Foundation

In August 2022, Alexander Zverev announced that he has type 1 diabetes, having been diagnosed at the age of three. In August 2022, he also launched the Alexander Zverev Foundation, a charity to support people with diabetes.

2022: Career-Best Results and Ankle Injury

In 2022, Zverev had reached his career-best results, but suffered an ankle injury at the French Open.

2022: Zverev's Start to 2022 Season

In 2022, Zverev represented Germany at the ATP Cup. At the Australian Open, he reached the fourth round, where he was defeated by Denis Shapovalov.

2022: Defaulted from Mexican Open for umpire abuse

In 2022, Zverev was defaulted from the Mexican Open after repeatedly striking the umpire's chair with his racket. He received fines and a suspended ban.

January 2023: ATP investigation concludes with no punishment

In late January 2023, the ATP announced that they would not punish Zverev due to insufficient evidence to substantiate the allegations of abuse.

July 2023: Allegations from a second woman

In July 2023, allegations from a second woman became public through a court filing. A penalty order in a Berlin criminal court was requested over alleged bodily harm against Brenda Patea.

October 2023: Penalty order issued against Zverev

On 2 October 2023, a Berlin court issued a penalty order against Zverev for allegedly physically abusing Brenda Patea in May 2020, including a fine of €450,000. Zverev appealed the order.

November 2023: Brenda Patea speaks publicly about alleged abuse

2023: Insulin Injection Controversy at French Open

During a match at the 2023 French Open, Alexander Zverev was initially disallowed from injecting insulin on-court, prompting criticism. Tournament organizers later clarified that in 2023 Zverev would be permitted to inject insulin on-court.

2023: ATP Finals Qualification and Performance

In 2023, Alexander Zverev qualified for the ATP Finals for the first time since 2021. He defeated Carlos Alcaraz and Andrey Rublev but lost to Daniil Medvedev. He did not qualify for the semifinals due to Alcaraz and Medvedev having a better win-loss percentage in sets, thus ending his 2023 season.

2023: Settlement in lawsuit filed by ex-partner

In 2023, Zverev reached a settlement in a lawsuit filed by his ex-partner, Brenda Patea.

2023: Representing Germany at the United Cup and Australian Open

In 2023, Zverev represented Germany at the United Cup, losing to Jiri Lehecka and Taylor Fritz. Germany failed to qualify for the knockout round. At the Australian Open 2023, he won his first match since June 2022 against Juan Pablo Varillas, but lost in the second round to Michael Mmoh.

2023: US Open Match Against Jannik Sinner and Quarterfinals Loss

In 2023, during his US Open match against Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev stopped play due to a fan shouting the opening stanza to "Deutschlandlied", which he interpreted as a Nazi sentiment. Zverev lost the quarterfinals match against Carlos Alcaraz, which lasted for 4 hours and 40 minutes, after defeating Jannik Sinner in five sets. This match cemented Zverev's return to top form.

January 2024: Appointment to ATP Players Advisory Council and Break Point Feature

In January 2024, Zverev was appointed to the ATP Players Advisory Council, drawing criticism due to the pending domestic abuse charge. He was also featured on Netflix's "Break Point", which faced criticism for ignoring the abuse allegations.

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May 2024: Trial Begins in Berlin Criminal Court

In May 2024, Zverev's trial began in the Berlin Criminal Court, coinciding with his semifinal run at the Australian Open, which heightened interest in the domestic abuse allegations.

June 2024: Charges dropped in trial after settlement

On 7 June 2024, Zverev's trial was terminated as the judge dropped all charges following an out-of-court settlement. Zverev agreed to pay €200,000, with no admission of guilt.

2024: Yet to win a title on grass as of 2024

As of 2024, Zverev has yet to win a title on grass, but has reached two finals and defeated Federer on that surface. His best grass tournament remains Halle, in his home country.

2024: French Open Final and Controversial Overrule

In 2024, Alexander Zverev reached his first Major final since the 2020 US Open at the French Open after defeating Casper Ruud in the semi-final. During the final set against Carlos Alcaraz, a controversial overrule occurred on Alcaraz's serve, impacting the game. Zverev ultimately lost in five sets.

2024: US Open Quarterfinals and 450th Career Win

In 2024, Alexander Zverev reached the US Open quarterfinals without facing a seeded opponent. He secured his 450th career win against Brandon Nakashima and qualified for the ATP Finals for the seventh time. He lost to Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals.

2024: Hamburg Open Final

In 2024, Alexander Zverev reached the final at the Hamburg Open but lost to Arthur Fils in three sets.

2024: Sixth Masters Title at the Italian Open

In 2024, Alexander Zverev won his sixth Masters title at the Italian Open in Rome, defeating Nicolás Jarry in the final. This marks his first Masters title since 2021 and his best result in Rome since winning his first Masters 1000 title at the 2017 Italian Open.

2024: Rolex Paris Masters Victory

In 2024, Alexander Zverev won the Rolex Paris Masters, defeating Ugo Humbert in the final. This marked his second Masters 1000 trophy of the season and propelled him to the World No. 2 ranking.

2024: Winning the United Cup for Team Germany

In 2024, Zverev led Team Germany at the United Cup in Sydney, Australia. He won his singles matches against Lorenzo Sonego and Adrian Mannarino. He also won the mixed doubles in the quarterfinals against Greece with Laura Siegemund. In the final against Poland, he won against Hubert Hurkacz, saving two championship points, and then won the decisive mixed doubles match with Siegemund, securing the United Cup victory for Team Germany.

2024: Laver Cup in Berlin

In 2024, at the Laver Cup edition held in Berlin, Alexander Zverev defeated Francis Tiafoe in a comeback victory, securing the Laver Cup title for Team Europe for the fifth time.